Hydronic Heating
Carley from BalnarringWe are in the process of building a new home and would like it to be as environmentally friendly and efficient as possible. We have heard about Hydronic Heating but do not know anything about it, ... continue reading
Heating Options
Christina from TooradinMy partner and I are building a new house in Tooradin and as theres no natural gas connection down that way, we're wondering what the most efficient heating would be? Ducted heating automatically ... continue reading
Green Lawns all year round
Adam from BlairgowrieOur lawn has really suffered the last few years and we know that there are synthetic alternatives on the market but we are hesitant because the image of fake grass that we have is bright bright green ... continue reading
Loft Ladders
Pam from SaleWe are doing renovations to our home and would like to use the space in our roof. I know that you can get loft ladders, but do not know alot about them or where to start. Can you help me ... continue reading
SureStone’s at the Herald Sun Home & Garden Show
posted 2 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 53 minutes agoDon't miss the Herald Sun Home & Garden Show and see SureStone at stand K19. SureStone is a stone flooring carpet composed of natural stone encased in a high quality resin to create a seamless, ... continue reading
Master Builders Green Living Conference
posted 3 weeks, 4 days, 7 hours, 23 minutes agoThe Master Builders Annual Green Living workshop has been given a boost and has become a two day conference. High profile speakers will inspire and challenge your ... continue reading
Metricon Homes Joins Home Innovations
posted 4 weeks, 2 days, 6 hours, 43 minutes agoVictoria’s leading home builder is increasing their presence in the Mornington Peninsula with the opening of the ‘Metricon Homes Display’ at the Home Innovations Display Centre on Nepean ... continue reading
You’re Invited to Zesta’s Showroom
posted 2 months, 1 week, 2 days, 10 hours, 7 minutes agoCome and visit Zesta in Cheltenham and see the largest dedicated Kitchen & Appliance Showroom in Melbourne's South ... continue reading
Introduction to Interior Design | Part 1
Tuesday 10:00 am, 7th September 2010This is an introduction course to help develop your own personal style so you can move forward with ... continue reading
Window Treatment Options | Workshop
Saturday 10:00 am, 11th September 2010Be informed on the range of window treatment options available and make informed decisions to get the best possible option for you. ... continue reading
Kitchens & Bathrooms | Workshop
Saturday 10:00 am, 25th September 2010How to most effectively plan your kitchen or bathroom renovation ... continue reading
Colour Confidence | Workshop
Saturday 10:00 am, 9th October 2010This workshop will guide you through colour choices and textures and help you compliment exsisting permanent features and ... continue reading
Timber Flooring
Timber flooring in your home is not just an attractive flooring option, but is practical to clean, timeless in appearance and long lasting.

Traditional Hardwood Flooring
Timber flooring is beautiful; relatively maintenance free & depending on the timber can be virtually indestructable. Timber flooring holds character which cannot be matched by any other flooring type. The natural knots and colours in timber will enhance and changed in colour over time, making the floor truely unique.
Allergies
Timber flooring in your home is not just an attractive option, but is very sensible for people who suffer from Asthma, Hay Fever and other allergies. The reason being that timber flooring is protected by a tough layer of polyurethane sealer. This means that no dust mites and particles can inhibit the flooring, unlike carpet etc, therefore triggering allergies.
Timbers
There are a number of timbers that can be used in Timber Flooring, each having there own characteristics and colour. Some of these include: Alpine Ash, Tasmanian Oak, Jarrah, Spotted Gum, Pine, Blackbutt, Blue Gum and the list goes on.....
You can mix timbers to create patterns, or just have a dramatic colour variation and pattern. Some of the patterns you can have include: Parquetry (criss cross), Square on Square, Herringbone, Brick, Borders, Solid Corners, Mitred and Staggered.
Refinishing Hardwood Floors
There is certainly a trend today of restoring older homes. As this continues to be a popular move, more and more people are pulling up existing flooring to find that underneath they have the makings of a beautiful Timber Floor. Refinishing hardwood floors can be easy to do yourself, and you can also save a lot of money this way.
Preparation
Once you have removed the old carpet, vinyl etc and found the timber flooring you will need to remove the bonded pads, which were holding down the old floor. This can be done by scraping them off with a putty knife. Electric sanders can also be used if the pads are too hard to remove by hand.
Sanding
Local hire shops will generally hire out electric floor sanders. Start by sanding the floors with the coarsest sand paper first, do this about 3 times, each time using a finer sand paper. It is important that you keep moving at a steady pace, to avoid uneven patches. Corners are often sanded too much, because of the machine passing over them more often, so be careful here. Often there will be areas which the electric sander cannot get into; these patches can be done by hand using the same process of using the finer sand paper gradually. Once the floors have been sanded 3 times over, you should be ready to stain them. You should now clean the area; a vacuum clean will do, by getting rid of all the extra dirt and dust.
Staining
After you select a stain for your flooring, you will need to gather up some old rags and old clothes etc to help with this process. Apply the stain in a circular motion with the rags. Try to apply evenly to avoid any colour inconsistencies. The product should display the drying time and other important information on the label. If the stain is too light after the first application, you can repeat until you achieve the desired colour.
Buffing
Buffing is the next step. Once again, you can hire a buffer from a hire shop. You will need to ask how to operate the buffer before you take it home, because sometimes they can be difficult to opertate. Take it slowly at first until you get the hang of it. Again you will need to remove any dust or dirt.
Finally
The floor will then be ready for its first coat of polyurethane. The easiest way to apply this is by using a mop. This will be easier on your body, rather than going around on your hands and knees for hours. Once the recommended drying time is over, repeat the process twice more making it 3 coats of polyurethane in total.
FINISHED!
Now your hardwood floors should be ready to go! You should wait about 2 or 3 days before using the room to ensure that everything is right. You should also wait a week before putting any rugs down. You wouldn't want them sticking to the floor would you?!
HIDC Exhibitor(s) who specialise in this area;
